28 October 2012

I Hear The Train A-Coming

Yesterday we went to a place that's the place that all of the old things from London Transport live. It was buses and trains and signals and signposts and everything.

Some of them were really really old and some were a bit old and some were broken and some had been mended and it was interesting to see everything. There were signs for Harrow for Mycroft and there were signs saying Finchley like Lestrade's name and we got to go in some and the man said if we went back again then there's a time you can see what it's like to drive one!

Here's a really nice one they've made be like it was new:

It was an Underground train and it had a wooden floor and walls and pretty lights and old signs inside it.

They had tube trains too and some that were experiments to see if people liked the insides but then the people didn't so they were never made for real.

And here's one they're making nice again except now it's all burnt because they put it somewhere and people set it on fire.

And you can see right through all the burnt bits. That's why you shouldn't make them out of wood.

Some of them they'd made like in the war with netting on the windows so if a bomb blew up the glass wouldn't hurt you. They had buses too and one of them had it's lights done so you couldn't see them and that meant the driver couldn't see at all! And the man said more people died because of the cars and buses crashing than because of bombs.

I want to go back again on the day when you can see how things worked more.

I also want a confetti cannon and bubbles and LOADS of flowers and the dogs should wear flowers too and I want a suit if John and Lestrade are and even Mummy said she was very excited and she doesn't really get excited about anything. And the cake should be huge and have colours and flowers and chocolate and there should be dancing with coloured lights and lasers and a party that lasts all day and all night. And so far Lestrade and John won't even say what flowers they like!

And all of that post was by me, Sherlock, except Lestrade said the title because I don't know many songs and his titles are all songs.

87 comments:

Very interesting post, Sherlock. That sounds like the sort of place I'd like to visit, because I'm sure I would remember some of the things,just like John and Lestrade. And yes, I do remember when there were pounds, shillings and pence.

It wouldn't surprise me if John and Lestrade want to take things slowly and just start by enjoying being engaged before they begin to seriously plan their wedding.

It's not really stupid Sherlock. Partly it's to allow other people to notify the registrar if there's a problem - for example, if one of the people isn't old enough to get married, or is already married. It's also that Marriage and Civil Partnership is a public commitment, so notice has to be given in public.

And it's always worth giving people a few days to think it over so that they're absolutely sure that getting married is what they want to do, not something they're just doing on the spur of the moment but will regret in the morning.

I'm quite sure they won't regret it Sherlock, not at all. But the rules are made to protect everyone, and not everyone is as sensible and sure as Lestrade and John.

Don't forget, the wedding itself is just one day. They're going to be married for a very long time, so there's no need for them to rush into the day itself; it's OK for them to take some time to enjoy being engaged, and to plan the day that they want. With cake :-)

No, they won't, Sherlock. Nameless didn't mean John and Lestrade, but was thinking about some people who haven't thought it through first.

There are some states in the US where they let people get married the same day they decide to--but mostly, it's kind of sad when they do that. Because it's one thing if people decide they don't want anyone else there when they get married, but it's another thing if the reason they don't have family or friends there is because they didn't think it out. And you know, John and Lestrade want to have the people closest to them there when they join their lives together officially--you and Mycroft, of course, and your mum and Mrs. Hudson, but also the people they love that aren't right there. And they want it to be extra special for themselves and everyone else, so that means making plans, and thinking it all out.

And besides, it can be a lot of fun to plan out a wedding! I think Lestrade said in one of the comments that maybe spring or summer, and that will give you all time to plan without feeling all rushed and stressed--and maybe they'd like to get married outside, like they got engaged, and you want warm weather for that.

(And you might like the time to think of an plan a surprise you could do for a wedding present--like the surprise you gave everyone last year at the Christmas show!)

And I almost forgot to say--that transit museum trip sounds like the most fun! I really, really liked your descriptions and pictures. It makes me think I should go see the transit museum in New York--after the hurricane is over, of course. :) It should be even more fun to go back when they show what it's like to drive a bus or train, whichever they show you!

Thank you for such an interesting post about your trip Sherlock it sounds like you had lots of fun and hopefully you will be able to go back again when the time is right.

If you want all those things for the wedding Sherlock, even without thinking about what John or Greg might want for their wedding, you are going to need time to plan it and organise those things, perfection can't be rushed :-)

That's a really great looking old train. It looks much more comfortable than the metro trains I was riding on this morning. Did they let you sit in it or just look? I'm wondering if it just looks good but wasn't very comfortable.

The wood does make it look pretty special. I wonder if wood is a better absorber of rattles and bumps than the metal they use today--did anyone say? (I imagine wood is too expensive--and as you said, too likely to burn!--to use today anyway.)

Nobody said that and I don't know what wood it was but they use Ash to make buses. There was a fire and Lestrade and John both remember it and after that they made lots of things not be wood anymore and I think a lot of people died.

I was already reading the wikipedia article, Nameless, because of L's comment--thanks, both of you. Horrific. I'm pretty sure I'd never heard of it before, which is really very odd.

I don't think the NYC subways have had a major fire like that (and now someone will bring a link proving me wrong!), but I know that small track fires caused by trash on the tracks used to be very common indeed.

What an amazing museum. We have one similar to this in Minnesota, hubs and I visited it last time we were in Duluth. Interactive museums are my second favorite, right after living history sites. Great post Sherlock, I could really feel your excitement and enjoyment.

I visited London a long time ago and I remember riding on one of the old wooden escalators. They were very narrow and the "steps" were very shallow, and it took a long time to get to the top. (The one I rode was at Baker Street, I think.) I thought it was neat though, because it felt like a tie back to the first people who would have used the subway.

It wasn't even a museum, it was just where they keep old stuff that was a real place. But we're going to go to their museum too now because it was fun and that has more stuff to do on your own and you don't need a real person to tell you about it.

And now I'm going to school and I'm going to tell EVERYONE about the wedding and I bet no one else had as good a half term as me.

Have a good day, Sherlock. And like everyone said, make sure you listen to other people. If you don't hear what they did you won't know if your half term was the best. And remember different people like different things, so some people wouldn't have enjoyed camping or trains, so they'll probably think their half term was better. And that's fine. I'm very glad you enjoyed your half term, though. That makes me very happy.

Yes! John and I got wood for it and I talked to John's father on the phone because he carves wood things and he said maybe I could carve it from one piece of really soft wood if I was careful with the tools and had Lestrade help with the hard parts.

when my mum meets his parents it'll be like an argument about whose son is the worst. Excellent! Although if each side tries to convince the other that theirs is better...you never know, they might end up thinking between us we're nearly one whole competent adult.

I sometimes wonder if it's a generational thing: our parents generation believe they missed out on things in life for whatever reason, so they pin their hopes on their offspring, who, when they don't do what they particularly wanted them to do are deemed failures.

Nameless - I'm just relieved they like him, to be honest. I think they're pretty well incapable of approving of both of us, so I was either going to hear about his shortcomings or mine forevermore, and hearing about mine is less infuriating.

Husband did most of them, and now there's a small minion army. He just experimented to see what sorts of mouths ended up with the best creepy smiles! We're keeping all the pins and teeth for next year. :)